BEIJING

Beijing   was first declared as the capital city in 1057 BC by King Wu.It was called Zoungdu, Dadu, and finally Beijing in Ming Dynasty by Emperor ChengZu in 1421.

Beijing   city is an independently administrated municipal district with total area of 16,800 sq km.She has 18 districts and counties with population of 13 million.Being the capital of modern China, it has maintained its ancient grace and boasts of China's most impressive temples, historical monuments, palaces and museums. Highlights around Beijing city include the famous Imperial Palace, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, Ming Tomb and Temple of Heaven.

XIAN

Xian is the capital of Shaanxi province. Once the largest city in the world, Xian was the capital of eleven dynasties at various times in China's history for a total of some 1,100 years.It was the eastern most city along the Silk Road.Perhaps no other Chinese city is so deeply entwined in the country's history.

Xian came to world attention in 1936, when Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped at the Huaqing Hot Spring, an event that came to be called the Xian Incident.Today, metropolitan Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province, has a population of 4 million.It has been quite intensively industrialized in recent decades, with the emphasis on machinery, textiles and light industrial products, and is the site of many institutes of higher education.The discovery of the terracotta warriors in 1974 and the ensuing migration of tourists have contributed significantly to Xian's economic development.

LANZHOU

Lanzhou   is the capital of Ganzu province, hugs the banks of the Yellow River for more than 40kms, huddled in a narrow valley dominated on either side by bare brown hills.The unusual geographic setting is responsible for Lanzhou's relatively mild climate and also made the city a natural center for communications and defense between and the west of over 2,000 years.

Lanzhou   is most notable for being the first big stop along the Silk Road after Xian.It has continued to serve as an important transportation center and today is the major railway junction for northwest China.There are some beautiful parks, bustling night markets, and the museum is definitely worth to visit.

JIAYUGUAN

This is the most impressive site in the Hexi Corridor, and the pervading sense of history is overwhelming.The pass stands between the snow-capped Qilian Mountains to the south and the black-hued swells of the Mazong (Horse's Mane) Mountains to the north.To the east of the pass is China, and to the west the boundless sweep of desert that was the beginning of the barbarian Western Regions of ancient times.      The demarcation line has always been the Great Wall of China and in particular Jiayuguan, meaning "Barrier of the Pleasant Valley".

Today, Jiayuguan, with population of 100,000, is an industrial center producing chemical fertilizer, cement, coke and iron from raw materials mined in the nearby mountains.Jiayuguan has an excellent Great Wall Museum; exhibits include a wealth of wall relics, interpretive materials on the ramparts' construction and maps of the different routes of Great Walls during various dynasties.

DUNHUANG

In early days, Dunhuang was an important trading center along the Silk Road during the 1st century BC.The Great Wall was extended to Dunhuang and a line of fortified beacon towers stretched westwards into the desert in 121BC.Today, many visitors visit Dunhuang to see Chinese richest treasure-house of ancient Buddhist murals and sculpture, the Mogao Caves.

The Mogao Caves, which honeycomb the cliff-face of the Mingsha Hills, 25 km southeast of Dunhuang, are the world's richest treasure-trove of Buddhist manuscripts, wall paintings and statuary.Hewn over a millennium spanning nine dynasties, from the fourth to the 14 th   centuries, they mark the height of Buddhist art.

Another highlight in Dunhuang is Mingsha sand dunes.The high yellow sand dunes of Mingsha offer the best picture-book desert scenery that travelers are likely to see along the entire length of the Silk Road.They lay just 3 km south of the city and offer a stunning view of the surrounding desert in one direction and of the Dunhuang oasis in the other.

TURPAN

Turpan is located in a depression, part of the Turpan Basin is 154m below sea level – it's the lowest spot in China and the second lowest depression in the world.The climate here is extremely dry.It lies on the northern border of the fierce Taklimakan Desert, just south of the Tian Shan, or Celestial Mountains.    The oasis collects water from these high peaks through an intricate and ancient system of underground channels, or karez.

One of the town's earliest names, Huozhou (Land of Fire), was derived from the intense summer temperatures, over 40?C between June and August.The winters here are also extreme, -10C to -15C.Blessed by geography and engineering genius, Turfan is a delightfully verdant spot whose grapes, melons, and cotton are famed throughout China.

URUMQI

Urumqi   is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.It is the political, economic, scientific and technological center of Xinjiang, notable chiefly for being the most land-locked place on earth.Urumqi's industrial plants, educational institutes and commercial activities are the hub of Xinjiang's economy.It is the regional center for road, rail and air communications and is inhabited by 1.2 million people.Urumqi's population is mostly Han, but includes Hui, Uygur, Kazakh, Manchu , Mongol, Xibo and Russian minorities as well.

A real treasure awaits us when we drive out of the dusty burg and head up to Heavenly Lake and Mount Bogda.The glaciated colossus rises more than 15,000 feet above the surrounding desert.       At its base lies pristine Heavenly Lake.

MARCO POLO EXPRESS

Our private rail caravan is composed of six sleeping carriages, two restaurant cars and a parlor carriage.

The original train was built in 1950s Germany to service the Beijing-Moscow route.Part of the train was destroyed in the seventies, and the surviving coaches were refurbished to be utilized by elite government officials.In 1990, the train came alive again, fitted with new carpets, furniture, and lighting.   Further improvements made in 1991 include an elegant parlor carriage with piano entertainment, superb dining rooms and modern kitchens.Additional features such as air-conditioning throughout complete a picture of comfort.Throughout the Silk Road journey the train itself becomes an important destination, a cozy environment where contemplative journal entries are made, punctuated by lively exchanges with fellow travelers.

THE SLEEPING CARRIAGES

Suites may be created by booking two adjoining compartments with exclusive use of a washroom.A single compartment is a standard twin compartment for single use.Each sleeping carriage consists of eight private cabins.Sleeping compartments contain an upper and lower berth, which becomes a sofa during the day, a writing desk, and a wing chair.Every compartment is finished with mahogany and brass.Each pair of compartments shares a washroom which consists of a sink and hand-held shower.There is cold water at all times and fresh linens are provided on a daily basis.Hot water for washing may be requested from the train attendants.Toilets are located at either end of the car.

Storage space is ample, accommodating two large suitcases.Hanging space is limited to several hooks and hangers.Each compartment is air-conditioned.

THE RESTAURANT CARS

In the two dining cars chefs prepare superb Chinese cuisine served family style and Western breakfast.Individual dietary requirements can be accommodated aboard the train; we ask that you advise us of any special needs at the time of booking.

THE LOUNGE CARRIAGE

With furnishings situated to facilitate comfortable viewing of the passing scenery, the lounge carriage becomes a gathering place where passengers may exchange stories of the journey.Nightly classical piano entertainment sets the mood.

SMOKING

One of the restaurant cars is designed as non-smoking, with one available to smokers.Smoking is permitted in the lounge car but is not permitted in individual compartments.

STAFF

The Marco Polo Express has an experience crew, expertly attending to the needs of every passenger.An attendant is on duty 24 hours a day in each sleeping carriage, with housekeeping staff servicing individual compartments.

A supervisory team of Marco Polo Express staff will also be aboard the train, including a tour director responsible for logistics, customer service and sightseeing throughout the journey.

ITINERARY

Day 1 ARRIVE BEIJING

Upon arrival, we will be greeted and transferred to hotel.

Day 2 BEIJING

This majestic city first served as capital of the Middle Kingdom almost a thousand years ago. As the capital of modern China, it has maintained its ancient grace and boasts of China's most impressive temples, historical monuments, palaces, and museums. In the morning we'll tour Tiananmen, the largest square on earth. We'll roam the vast enclave of the imperial court, the Forbidden City (Imperial Palace), which served as both home and palace to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Next we will visit the Temple of Heaven. At the site of this temple, set amidst 667 acres, ancient Chinese emperors humbled themselves before heaven and performed rituals proclaimed to bring good harvests. Enjoy Beijing roast duck dinner in the evening.

Day 3 BEIJING

We will take strike out early for the Great Wall. The undeniably spectacular view from atop the watch-towers is well worth the climb. We return to hotel for a briefing on our train trip and enjoy the Acrobatic Show in the evening.

Day 4 BEIJING AND MARCO POLO EXPRESS TO XIAN

Morning tour into Hutong, the old city of Beijing. This extraordinary event of begins with a ride on a traditional, three-wheel passenger cycle to the Drum Tower for the best vies of Hutong's Labyrinth of alleys and streets. Then step into the district and visit typical quadrangles.

We'll drive to the railway station where we board the Marco Polo Express. After settling into our compartment, we will enjoy our first dinner on the train as we speed on to our next destination.

Overnight on Marco Polo Express

Day 5 XIAN

After a leisurely morning on the train we arrive in Xian. Once the largest city in the world, Xian was the capital of eleven dynasties (from the 11 century B.C. to the 10 th century A.D.) and was the easternmost city along the Silk Road. Perhaps no other Chinese city is so deeply entwined in the country's history. Today's excursion takes us to the excavations near the tumulus (or burial mound) of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, where in 1974 well-digging peasants serendipitously discovered the famous Terracotta Army. One of the century's greatest archaeological finds, these life-size figures number in the thousands and amaze even the most jaded traveler. In the evening we will enjoy a performance that features music and dance from the Tang Dynasty, which is considered China's renaissance period.

Day 6 XIAN AND TRAIN TO LANZHOU

Our morning sightseeing (time permitting) will include the well-preserved city wall, the Wild Goose Pagoda and the Provincial Museum. We will enjoy lunch at a fabulous dumpling restaurant before we re-board the Marco Polo Express and press on to Lanzhou.

Overnight on Marco Polo Express

Day 7 LANZHOU AND TRAIN TO JIAYUGUAN

After a morning arrival in Lanzhou we will tour the city, possibly cruise down the famous Yellow River, and visit the Provincial Museum. In the late afternoon, we re-board our train and continue on to Jiayuguan. The train heads west through the Gansu Corridor, an area of wrinkled mountains squeezed on the north by Inner Mongolia and the Gobi Desert and on the south by the Tibetan Plateau. It was through this narrow defile the Silk Road made its way from traditional China to the western hinterlands.

Overnight on Marco Polo Express

Day 8 JIAYUGUAN

We arrive in Jiayuguan in better shape than the millennial caravaners. Here – not far from a white line of 17,000 foot peaks – s Jiayuguan's Jiayu Fort, the western anchor of the Great Wall.

Day 9 TRAIN TO LIUYUAN AND DUNHUANG

After breakfast, we continue west by rail to Liuyuan where we will change to a coach and head for Dunhuang , a silk Road metropolis and a pivotal point of cultural exchange. After a brief rest, we'll go directly to the Mingsha sand dunes on the outskirts of town where we may take a camel ride out to Crescent Lake.

Day 10 DUHUANG AND TRAIN FOR TURFAN

For those interested, there will be an optional early morning climb of the Mingsha Sand Dunes to watch the sunrise over the desert. The day is spent at the fabled and wondrous Caves of the Thousand Buddha (the Mogao Grottoes). The story of the Caves is the story of Buddhism's slow progression up from India, eastward along the Silk Road, and into China proper. After lunch, we will visit the Dunhuang Museum. We drive back to Liuyuan where we will board the Marco Polo Express for the overnight journey to the desert oasis of Turfan. Just outside Liuyuan we enter the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Overnight on Marco Polo Express

Day 11 TURFAN

We arrive in the morning in Turfan, on the brink of the Turfan Depress (at 505 feet below sea level, Asia's lowest spot). Turfan lies on the northern border of the fierce Taklimakan Desert, just south of the Tian Shan, or Celestial Mountains. The oasis collects water from these high peaks throught an intricate and ancient system of underground channels, or karez. Blessed by geography and engineering genius, Turfan is delightfully verdant spot whose grapes, melons, and cotton are famed throughout China. After breakfast, we'll visit the ruin of Jiaohe, which was built in the 2 nd century B.C. and abandoned in the 14 th century. In the afternoon, we'll visit a Uighur House and Grape Valley. In the evening, we will enjoy a delightful Uighur dance performance in an open-air courtyard (weather permitting).

Day 12 TURFAN AND URUMQI

We continue by rail through a cleft in the Tian Shan to Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital. Situated on the northern slope of the Celestial Mountains, Urumqi (2997 feet) commands an outstanding view of the range's easternmost peak, Bogda Ola (18,132 feet). In the afternoon we will visit the provincial Museum and a bustling market.

Day 13 URUMQI

Urumqi is a distinctly unfabled city, notable chiefly for being the most land-locked place on earth. But a real treasure awaits us when we drive out of the dusty burg and head up to Heavenly Lake and Mount Bogda. The glaciated colossus rises more than 15,000 feet above the surrounding desert. At its base lies pristine Heavenly Lake. We will take a short boat excursion across the lake where we will find a scenic spot to enjoy our box lunch (weather permitting). In the evening, we will enjoy our farewell banquet of local foods.

Day 14 DEPART FROM URUMQI

Our memorable train journey ends here. In the morning we will bid farewell to China's wild west and leave for home.